Ready, Set, Don't Go
by Shade Penn
Summary: One Shot.Songfic Precursor to Nexus. June and Jack say goodbye to Dante as they leave for Jasper, Nevada.


_She's gotta do, what she's gotta do,  
>And I gotta like it or not,<br>She's got dreams too big for this town,  
>And she needs to give 'em a shot,<em>

_Whatever they are,_

Dante morosely helped heave the bags out of his place and headed out to the car in front of it. He wanted to say something, anything. But he knew how selfish it would be. Not to mention dangerous.

It's a miracle she's still alive after four years of living with him and she hasn't killed him yet. The occasional punches to the face he could take, but this just hurt too much. It really would be selfish to protest this, just to keep June and Jackie close to him, but he would just put them in more danger than June's plan would.

Her plan was to leave New York…leave him, and never look back.

Yeah, that part of her plan had stung deeply, but she was a mom and wanted to keep her kid safe. And she decided that a place where no one knew them would be the perfect spot.

Jasper, Nevada. Middle of nowhere place alright.

But even though Dante didn't like this one bit, he kept his mouth shut. It'd be a first anyway.

And besides, Dante knew June would be a great mom and nurse even without him being around to babysit her kid or there to help. He was pretty sure that if she could survive his brother, then she could survive anything.

_Looks like I'm already to go,  
>Nothing left to pack,<br>Ain't no place left for me in that car,  
>Even if she asked me to tag along,<br>But I gotta be strong,_

"So, this is the last two bags?" Dante asked putting the bags in the trunk.

June nodded as she strapped Jack into his booster seat. "Yeah, thanks for the help, Dante."

Dante put a smirk on his face to cover up his true mood. "Of course I'd help you, Junebug."

June scowled at him. "Don't call me that."

_'I'm actually gonna miss the way she scowls at me when I call her that.' _Dante thought. _'And how the hell did a woman like her end up with Verge?' _It wasn't the first time he found himself asking himself that, but the first and only time he ever asked June that aloud; she punched him in the gut.

"So, is there _any_ room for you there to drive?" Dante joked.

June smiled slightly. "Yes, there is."

Dante nodded. He knew he couldn't go with her, even if she asked, or how much he wanted to go with them. But he had his job here to deal with, and they didn't need any more trouble.

June looked like she was about to say something, but she closed her mouth and looked away uneasily. Even if they had a rocky start, it was almost comforting to know that she'd miss him too.

Looks like he wasn't the only trying to be strong at the moment.

_I'm at the starting line of the rest of my life,  
>Ready as I've ever been,<br>Got the hunger in, the stars In my eyes,  
>The prize is mine to win.<br>She's waiting on my blessing before she hit that open road,  
>Baby get ready, (oh, I'm ready), get set, don't go.<em>

"You got the rest of your plan sorted out?" Dante asked.

"Yeah, gonna start to work at the hospital and send Jack to pre-school." June stated.

Dante stared at her unblinkingly. "That's not what I meant."

"Oh, I know what you meant." June replied quietly as her eyes shifted over to Jack. "I'll tell him when the time is right." She said and sighed. "You are aware though that he's not gonna remember you, right?"

Dante smiled bitterly. "I want him safe too you know, and if that means he won't remember his awesome uncle Dante, then that's alright. Just, take care of my nephew, got it?" he asked in an uncharacteristic display of seriousness. But he supposed that after raising a kid it helped him grow up too.

June stared at him, a faraway look in her eyes. It was times like these that she saw her husband in Dante, but she had to remind herself that it _wasn't_ him. "I got it, Dante."

_Looks like things are falling in place,  
>Looks like they're falling apart,<em>

June had been anticipating Dante to protest and whine for her not to go, or at least ask to go with them. Guess he was mature enough to stop his temperamental outburst.

_Painted this big old smile on my face,  
>To hide my broken heart,<br>If only she knew,_

Dante might have been smiling, but it was a completely fake one.

Not matter how convincing it was. He could speak like he didn't care that June was going, but with each word he spoke, he wanted so much to say what he really felt.

He cared so much about Jack, the toddler wasn't only his nephew, but he was the closest thing to what having a son felt like. And June, he liked her a lot. She may have argued with him like Lady does, but June had always managed to guilt him into doing certain things; like cutting back on pizza, or not giving Jack anything sugary.

Or keeping his place kid-friendly and clean.

Despite these qualities, he had never met someone besides his own mother who fussed about every injury he got from taking out a demon.

_This is where you don't say what you so badly want to say._

June stared at Dante and could guess what was going on in his mind. She had gotten to know him in the last four years and noticed he was more expressive that his brother, so it was easier to read his expression.

He didn't want her to go.

_This is where I want to, but I won't get in the way,  
>Of her and her dreams, and spreading her wings,<em>

Each moment that went by, Dante wanted to burst out and say what he really wanted to say, But he knew he couldn't change her mind, and a part of him actually _knew_ that this was the right decision.

No matter how much it broke his heart.

_I'm at the starting line of the rest of my life,  
>Ready as I've ever been,<br>Got the hunger in, the stars in my eyes,  
>The prize is mine to win,<em>

June wrapped her arms around Dante in a rare show of platonic affection she ever allowed between them. "I'm, uh, gonna miss you."

_She'd waiting on my blessing before she hits that open road,_

Dante hugged her back with enough restraint not to hurt her. Not that he ever _would_ hurt her intentionally. "I'm gonna miss you both, too." He mumbled. "Can I say goodbye to Jackie?"

June nodded. "Sure."

_Baby get ready (oh, I'm ready), get set, don't go,_

_I'm at the starting line of the rest of my life,  
>Ready as I've ever been,<em>

Dante opened the car door and saw the toddler look at him. "Hey, Jackie. Um, I'm not gonna be able to see you anymore, or maybe never again." He said the last part quietly.

Jack stared at him wide-eyed. "Why?"

Dante frowned. "I want you and your mom to be safe, and that means I can't be around you anymore."

Jack's bottom lip wobbled and he threw his little arms around Dante's neck and cried. "Gonna miss you, unckie Dante!"

Dante hugged him back. "I know, and I'm gonna miss you both too, buddy."

_Got the hunger in, the stars in my eyes,  
>The prize is mine to win;<br>She's waiting on my blessing before she hits that open road,_

Dante pulled back and hugged June again before kissing her on the cheek. June didn't even slap him as she allowed it. "I…" Last chance, but he couldn't be that selfish to put them on constant danger from vengeful demons if they ever found out about Jack. "Goodbye." The word left a bitter after taste in his mouth.

"Look at it this way; you can resume bringing women around in broad daylight without fear of scarring Jack for life." June said weakly.

Dante put on another fake smile. "That's right. I can have any woman I want now." He mused. _'Except for one.'_

June pulled out of his arms and got into the driver seat, "Goodbye, Dante." She said quietly and started up the car.

_Baby get ready (oh, I'm ready), get set…_

Dante watched the car drive out of sight and said the one thing he had so desperately wanted to say through this whole parting.

"…don't go."


End file.
